Railway-crossover frog construction



A. L. viss'A-r 1,784,211

RAILWAY CROSSOVER FROG CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 24, 1927 Dec. 9, 1930. A. L. vlssA'r RAILWAY CROSSOVER FROG CONSTRUCTIONA Filed Deo. 24, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR A'llfl way use,

Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES ANTHONY L. VISSAT, OF J' EAN N ETTE, PENNSYLVANIA RAILWAY-*CROSSOVER FROG CONSTRUCTION Application led December 24, 1927. Serial No. 242,453.

One ot the objects which I have in view is the provision of a new and improved railway cross-over frog structure which, although advantageously applicable for general railis particularly designed for light railways, such as in mines, quarries and industrial plants.

In generahniy improved cross-over frog structure comprises a fixed portion including the converging rail ends or the tracks and a movable portion including the frog point which may be positioned in registration with either ofthe rail ends.

The construction and arrangement of the elements of the crossover frog structure are also included in the subject matter of my present invention.

VOne novel and important feature of my present invention is the use of ysections of railway rails, such as lengths cut `from old rails which may be repressed or reformed if necessary, as for fish-plates7 limiting-bars and the like. l

, Other novel features ot' construction and arrangement of parts will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying' drawings, wherein I have illustrated the best embodiment of the principles of my invention now known to me, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a movable frog structure, the ir'og point being' thrown in the one direction; Fig. 2 is a similar but incomplete view, the frog point being thrown in the other direction; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken along the line H4 in Fig. l; Fig. 5 is an enlarge-d sectiontaken along the line 5&5 in Fig.v l; Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective showinga different point extremity than that shown in Fig. el; Fig. 7 is a plan view showing another form of the same; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the base plate of the frog; Fig. 9 isa. plan of a modified form of frog point; Fig. l() is a view partially in end elevation and partially in crosssection showing a modified form of control means; Fig. 1l is a broken plan view showing my improved rail joint used in connection with a pair of stationary rails; Fig. 12 is a 0 sectional view taken along the line l2`12 in other and intersecting` track whose inner rail is represented by the vfixed rail ends 5a and 5b. f

6 represents tie plates which may be interposed between the rails and the ties in the usual manner. Y

7 represents the base plate. ofthe frog structure, substantially of the contour shown, and provided with spike-holes 8.

he converging extremities of the rail ends 3a and 5a extend onto and are supported on the base plate, and 9V represents a spaced block, which may be a casting of proper shape to fit between the extremities of the rail ends. 1() represents outer supporting memberstor the rail en ds, the same being preferably torm ed of lengths of used rails, having their inner sides cut away, as by planing, so that the ball ot the members 10 tit snugly against the ball ot the rail ends,A with the tread of the members 10 preferably at a somewhat higher level than the treads of the rail ends. The members 10 are spiked down throughk the' vbase plate to the cross ties.

Stay bolts 1l extend through the members 10, the rail ends 3a and 5a; and the spacer block 9.

The portions ot' the members 10 which extend inwardly past the rail ends are bent out wardly to diverge, thus forming opposed limiting bars for the frog point.

The frog point is formedk of two converging legs 12 and 13 which are lengths ot rails whose converging' ends are arranged to form a point of the usual width as the crosssection area of the track rails. Thus in Fig. 4 the inner sides of the two leg rails are cut away so that the legstit and are bolted as at 14 or otherwise fastened together. In Figs. 6 and 7 different methods are shown of Cut.-

ting down the railsA to form the point. A triangular or "filler block 15 is bolted or other Wise secured between the converging ends of the legs 12 and 13; When the frog is thrown 4in either direction, the side of the point bears against the inner side of one of the limiting membens 10,` thus causing the; thrust to be assumedby the limiting memberand holding the frog in proper alignment. Y

The ends of the treads ot the members are downwardly beveled, so that the J'assing wheels mount the treads ot the kmem Veis. 1.0 and are carried over the. joint between the rail end and frog without jolting or hammerhxeof the legs of the frog point is flexibly connected to oneofthe opposing rail: ends, as for instance the leg 12 and the railv end 35. I show anovelfform orsuch connection. Thus the outer side ot' the rail end l3b. has clamped against it themember 16, the same beingpreferably a length of rail cut away on the inside so that its ball fits snugly up against the ball of the rail'end 3b. The member is straight and extends: inwardly past the exof thefrailend y3b so. that when the frog point-,is in the position shown in Fig. 1,

' the outerend of the'leg Y will assume m. Lv

; of the rail ends 12 bears laterally against the member 16, the ball of the rail fitting against the ball of' the member. The inner side of the rail end 3b has fitted against it the {ish-plate 17 whose end' portion which extends yinwardly past the rail end 3?) is curved toward the rail 2 so that when the frog point: isA shifted into the position shown in Fig. 2, the leg 12 is supported laterally by the fish-plete. The fish-plate 17 andv the member lr6 are spikedvto the ties and bolted tothe rail 3b. Y l

It isthus evident thatthe outer end of the leg'12 is exiblyconnected to the rail end 3band upon this connection the frog point movesA as an axis. A Theftreadl otthe member 16 is slightly higher than the tread oi the rail end ,3b and of the leg 12 and the ends of the tread ofthe member 16 are 'beveled downwardly so that the wheels when passing over thejointy between the rail end and Y member 16'v thus` avoid-iig jolting and. hammeri-ng.

It is evident that connected to the rail end 3b so that it may be shifted that it will register with either or 5a, being alined in one of the limiting bars 1() which the thrusts.

The leg 12 may be; ofbutthe leg 13' is preferably short enough to be slidably supported by the base plete 7l 18 is a member also preferably comprising a length. of rail which is mounted against the outerside ot the rail end 5?) andi extends in- Wardly beyondV the latter to form a limi-'ting member to properly aline the outer end ot the position by the leg tra-vel on the the frog point is iexibly any desired length the rail, end 5b when the frog leg 13 w ith point is shifted into the position shown in Fig. 2. This member is formed so that its ball will fit snugly up against the balls ofy the rail end 5b and of the leg 13 and its tread is slightly higher than their treads and is beveled downwardly at the end, thus forming an elevated' bridge which will. carry the wheelsiover the joint without jolting or hammelting,N M

Thev adj'acent' end faces of the rail end 5b and of theeleg 13 are inclined as shown so as to move readily into and out of registration; Without binding, Likewise the adjacent ends of the iller block 15 and of themember 18 are in parallel. planes 'for a similar pur- DOSQ; f I The base plate 7 is provided with a' longitudinally slotted opening 19 under. the path et the'leg 13|to= providevfior vthe. downward escape of dirt or other obstructions which might tend to clog' movement ot the frog point.

2() is and in slidingconta'ct wit 1 the underside of the bose. plate 7. 21 is a saddle resting on the bar which extends up through a trans versely slotted hole 22 in the base plate 7 and is clamped about the bases of thelegs 12v and 13' where theyy converge. The llegav are secured inthe saddle and the saddle is secured to the bar by the bolts 231 The bases of the limiting members 10 are cut out as at 24 for clearance for the saddle. One end of the bar 20- is connected' as by a link 25 tothe switch operating mechanism. The other'end maybe connected to the spring device 27 which normally holds the frog point in and returns it to the position shown in. Fig. 2;

In Fig. 1() I shows1 another form et operative means, the converging ends of the legs 12 and 13' being clamped between the angular ends 28 'of the bars 29 whichy lide upon the upper surface of the baseplate v'T being dis.- posed transversely of said base plate and, ex.- tend'ing through. the openings 24 in the limiting bars 110. The outer ends of the bars 29 are bent down and bolted to the .bar 20 sliding beneath the platev being held in place by the loop bracketsl 30 attached tothe under side of said plate. In Fig. 9 I show a modification of the trol; point which is applicable to light railways, thefleg lbeingflexibly connected' by the op oositely hingedsection 13* to the rail endv 5b. When the frog point is shifted to ,alfine the leg 13' with the rail ends 5a and 51), the seetion 13a is alined with the leg 13. and' thi rail end 5b. When the frog point is shifted into the position shown in 1 to connect the ralillends 3a and 3b bythe leg 12, the flexibility of the hinged int inte' member 13o permits the leg 13 tol move out: of alinement with the railend 5b. f En Figs. 11 andv 112 I show` my a central bar dis osedi transversollyv improved 3^ bridge joint applied to the connection of rails in fixed relation, the alined rails being indicated at 31 and 32, the iish-plate which crosses the joint ot the rails at one side being indicated at 33 and the rail-section member which crosses the joint at the other side of the rails being indicated at 34. rlhe plate 33 and the member are spiked to the ties 1 and are clamped place by the bolts 35 which extend through them and the webs of the two rails. rIhe tread of the member 34 is above the level of the tread of the rails 31 and 32 and the ends of said elevated tread are beveled downwardly. It is thus seen that the member 34 functions not only as a fishplate but also as a bridge to carry the wheels across the joint without the usual jolting and hammering which no f' results in discomfort to passengers, damage to rolling equipi nient and the smashing down of the ends of the rails..

ln some cases there is a tendency toward upwarr tipping of the frog point or movable frog member at its point of registration with the ixed rail end due to the weight of tralic moving onto the other end of therail member of the movable frog. This I prevent by providing said last named rail end with means to prevent its depression under traffic. Thus l have shown the leg 13 provided with a bar 36 bolted to the outer side of the leg 13 and protruding past the end thereoil and arranged to ride up on the base of the rail end 5b and bear downwardly thereon to support the end of the leg 13 against depression. Thus the protruding end of the bar 36 may be notched out to ride up on a block 37 which may be secured as by welding to the base of the rail end 5?), as shown in detail in Fig. 13.

rlhere are decided advantages in the use of 1 lengths or sections oi old rails for the purpose above described. One advantage is of course the cheapness and availability of the material. Another is that the ball and tread oitthe members so tormedcarry the w ieels over but out of Contact with the treads of the rail ends at flexible, interrupted or permanent joints. The old rails may, if necessary, be re-V formed or repressed to obtain the necessary tread elevation and their abutting sides may be planed or otherwise cut away to enable the member to fit up snugly aga-inst the Side of the rails with the balls in close proximity or contact. lf old rails are not available or their use not desired the joint members and limiting members may be formed of new material into similar shape.

My improved movable frog structure is very simple and inexpensive and may be readily and quickly assembled from materialV and elements largely at hand. The use of sections cut from old rails enables me to employ material which would otherwise be sold as scrap. V

I claim- 1. In a railway crossover frog structure, the combination with a pair of converging rail ends, of a frog point comprised of converging leg-rails and arranged to be moved into registration with either of said rail ends, and means for preventing the point from tipping upwardly when a wheel engages the outer end of one of said leg rails, said means comprising a bar secured to and extending past the end of the leg-rail and bearing down on the base of the track rail when said legrail and track rail are in registration.

2. In a railway cross-over frog structure, the combination of a bed-plate, and a movable frog structure slidable thereon and comprising rail portions which are arranged to be brought into position to complete the fixed rails of the track, and means for preventing longitudinal tipping of said rail portions under moving tralic, said means comprising a bar secured to and extending past the end of the rail portion and bearing downwardly on the base ol the track rail when said rail portion and track rail are in registration.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania7 this 15th day of December, 1927.

ANTHONY L. VISSAT. 

